How To Crochet Seams.Try These 2 Methods.

Have you tried to crochet seams? Do you hate to sew and long to be
able to join together your crochet pieces quickly and easily without
sewing?

Don't worry there is an easy way - well, more than one really, depending on the
look that you want. Of course you can use any of the crochet stitches
to make a seam, but the most economical and useful are
slip stitch
and single crochet.

The slip stitch seam I would use for doing regular seams that need
to be hidden. You would work with the right sides of your
work together so the seam is worked on the wrong side.

The single crochet seam is a little more decorative and more bulky,
so it is best used as an outside seam. You would work this with the wrong sides together.

Anyway - let's get to the instructions...The samples I have joined are
2 equal sized granny squares, so I will call my 2 pieces in the instructions
granny squares.

I used a contrast color so that you
can see where the yarn is going and the finished effect. You will
likely want to use the same color yarn as the edges, but as you can
see in the pictures below, you can't really see the slip stitch seam
on the right side.

The first crochet seams are in slip stitch...

Hold your 2 pieces to be joined with the right sides
together. Line them up so the edges are even and patterns match.

Work seams just like a regular crochet row, from right to left.

Start by pushing your hook from front to back through both layers
of the right hand corner chain space of your granny square (under
the usual 'v' shape of the chains). Yarn over hook, then pull your
hook back through to the front of your work. Make sure you don't lose
the tail of yarn - hold onto it behind your work. You will need to weave this in at the end.

Now, push your hook through the next 2 stitches (under the 'v'
of the square in front and the second square too). Yarn over and pull
back through to the front of your work. Pull that last yarn over
straight through the loop already on your hook and you're making a
slip stitch seam.

Continue working along the row until your 2 pieces are completely
joined. Break your yarn and pull the end through the last loop to
finish off.

Be sure not to pull your yarn too tight - you want your seams
to have some stretch.

Try working a few stitches then pull along the length of your
seam and see if it stretches. If there's not much 'give' in it,
then try a larger hook or less tension on your yarn overs.

Generally, the seam should have the same stretch that the
crochet piece has - ideally.

A single crochet seam can be used as a decorative outside seam or
hidden inside. I like the single crochet seam worked on the outside.
This effect is great on a bag or jacket. You can even use a contrast
yarn to accentuate the seams if your stitches are neat.

Start by pushing your hook from front to back through both layers
of the right hand corner chain space of your granny square (under
the usual 'v' shape of the chains). Yarn over hook, then pull your
hook back through to the front of your work. Make sure you don't lose
the tail of yarn - hold onto it behind your work. Yarn over again
and pull that new yarn over through both loops.

Now, holding your loose end along the top of your work push your hook through the next 2 stitches (under the 'v'
of the square in front and the second square too). Yarn over and pull
back through to the front of your work. Yarn over again and pull
that new yarn over through both loops and you're making a
single crochet seam. Your loose end will be hidden as you work your single crochet seam.

Continue working along the row until your 2 pieces are completely
joined. Break your yarn and pull the end through the last loop to
finish off.

As you can see below, both sides of the single crochet seam look the same. That's why it works as a decorative join.

The picture on the right shows how the join looks from the other side. You can see that the join is more visible as the single crochet is not such a tight stitch as the slip stitch.